November 7, 2007

This is the speech that changed everything for our father, Dr. Charles S Brown, after he gave this speech in Ghana the traditional rulers took notice. It wasn’t long afterwards before aggressive recruitment effort to get Dr. Brown on board as a traditional ruler was underway, by several different nana’s.

Upon learning this it was difficult for our father to contain his excitement. He told me that he had a very tough decision to make regarding which royal confederation he wanted to join. At the time, I was still amazed about them approaching him as a result of the speech. Ok, the speech wasn’t the only reason, they were also impressed with his work at the University of Cape Coast-but clearly the speech is what really helped him get noticed. I would imagine that what they liked about my father’s speech was the scientific approach that he used to summarize the effects of slarery upon this region of Africa. But also, in the speech he expressed the view that the kings and queen mothers of the day, who took part in the slave trade, were also victims (of circumstance) and shouldn’t be blamed for the tragedy. It just so happened that at the time of this speech many of Ghana’s nana’s were participating in an outreach campaign to reach out to long lost relatives in the various Diaspora communities on the behalf of Ghanaians who longed for a re-connection. So I guess the timing for the speech could not have been better.

At any rate, the entire speech is below. Please feel free to comment on it or even repost it to your blog.

THE REMEMBRANCE AND REVERENTIAL CEREMONY for ANCESTORS/SLAVERY

Keynote Address

Title: The African Slave Trade:

Past Problems, Present Realties, and Future Challenges

for Ghana, Africa, and the African World

(Revised Edition 6/2000)

Given at

ASSIN APIMANIM TRADITIONAL AREA

ASSIN MANSO, CENTRAL REGION

GHANA, WEST AFRICA

11:30 AM, SATURDAY, 19TH OCTOBER, 1996

By

Prof. C. S. Brown,

Fulbright Scholar

Department of Physics

Laser and Fiber Optics Center

University of Cape Coast

Cape Coast, Central Region

Ghana, West Africa

And

Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff

Lucent Technologies / Bell Labs Innovations

2000 Northeast Expressway

Norcross, Georgia 30071

USA

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF PROFESSOR C. S. BROWN, Ph.D.

Professor C. S. Brown received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1973 from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Masters of Science degree in 1975 in Physics from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1981, he received the Ph.D. in theoretical condense matter physics. In addition, he was the first native-born African-American to receive the Ph.D. degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology (better known as Ga. Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Since 1982, Professor Brown has been employed by AT&T Bell Laboratories. During his career, he has done research in theoretical physics, applied physics, optical fiber telecommunications and worked in related engineering areas. Between 1989 and 1992, he was an AT&T Visiting Lecturer at Clark Atlanta University and served as Professor and Department Chair in Physics. In 1993, he was awarded the Black Engineer of the Year Pioneer Award for both his training of young African-American and African scientists and his contributions in science and technology. In 1994, he was promoted to Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories. In 1995, he was elected Chair of the Edward A. Bouchet Institute, an organization which promotes African and African-American participation in Physics and other areas of high technology. Later in 1995, he was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to assist in the development of a Ph.D. program in Physics at the University of Cape Coast, in Cape Coast, Ghana. In 1984, he founded Obatron International Ltd., a telecommunications consulting firm.

In addition to his interest in Physics and high technology, he is also a student of demographics and the history of African people.

Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, Omanhene of the Assin Apimanim traditional area, Nananom and Elders of Assin Apimanim traditional area, People of the Assin Apimanim Traditional area, mourners, distinguished guests, brothers and sisters, it is indeed an honor for me to have this opportunity to address you on this important and long overdue occasion of Remembrance and Reverential ceremony for our long departed but common Ancestors – the countless millions of African slaves who were taken mostly to the Caribbean, the Americas, and some to parts of Asia. In addition, significant numbers were scattered over regions of the African continent as well. In particular, we gather to mourn those slaves who passed through, and in some cases died here at Assin Manso 1, perhaps as long as 400 years ago, in route to the numerous slave Castles/Dungeons scattered along the western coast of this magnificent continent we call “the Motherland”.

II.) Thanks

I, therefore, must in addition to this greeting, thank GOD for His grace and for staying with us. For we realize that no other people or race has ever gone through such a tragic holocaust and still survived to reunite, like we do here today, and to pay our respects to our ancestors on this important occasion. I also thank our common ancestors for bringing us forth and giving us strength, wisdom, and humility to endure the many years of degradation we have suffered up until this very day. I thank my father (who has pasted on) and mother, for nurturing me and giving me a good upbringing. I thank my sponsor, the USA Fulbright Scholar program for selecting me to lecture in Ghana, and I thank my employer, Bell Labs Innovations of Lucent Technologies (formally AT&T Bell Labs), for permitting me to take a one year leave-of-absence and accept the appointment as a Fulbright Scholar. Also, I thank some important Ghanaian friends and colleagues: Prof. F. K. A. Allotey, Chairman of the Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and Prof. S. K. Adjepong, Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, for asking me to come to Ghana to assist the start-up of a regional Ph.D. program in physics at the University of Cape Coast. I thank Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, distinguished Omanhene of the Assin Apimanim Traditional area, for inviting me here to address you today. Finally, I thank my friends and colleagues for traveling here with me to be a part of this important ceremony.

III.) Purpose of today’s message

My task, today, is to begin a great discussion concerning the Western European trade in African slaves across the Atlantic and their subsequent colonial exploitation of Africans. Included in the purpose is the intent to begin a dialogue between our families from the Diaspora and from Africa (who have been forcibly divided for many years), so that we can soon come back together to heal old wounds and to reclaim control over our destiny. This is an awesome responsibility for all of us. So, I speak not as an appointed representative, but as one of the millions of great-great-great grandsons, perhaps, of some of our ancestors who are buried here, near where we stand today. In addition, it is worth mentioning that I am not a historian nor a politician, but rather a physicist. While I will make every attempt to be accurate in my recollection of the historical facts, I will make use of my scientific experience along with my analytical and synthetical skills to interpret the facts, so that perhaps the lessons that need to be learned are made more transparent. I sincerely hope that my words do not offend anyone, but rather initiate a discussion that must last many hours, and maybe, many years longer than the few minutes that I will speak today. In my remarks, I will review several topics that I think are worthy of focus. They are: (1) a Brief Historical Background of African Peoples, (2) the Western European Trade in African Slaves and problems in our African Past, (3) the Realties of our African Present, (4) the Significance of the Assin Manso Slave market and the Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony for our Ancestors who Passed Through or Died Here, (5) the Challenges of our African Future, and (6) the Conclusion.

Brief Historical Background of African Peoples

The African Origins of Humanity

(bring out the diversity of languages, states, ethnicities, economies, and traditions)

Today, historians and scientists almost unanimously agree that Africa is the birthplace of the human family [ref. –SciAm]. It is suggested by scientists that the human race sprung-up (or evolved) in Africa well over two million years ago 2. The evidence is the very human remains that have been found and dated in many parts of southeastern and southern Africa 2,3. It has also been established that all the racial differences among the people in the world today also evolved (well over 50,000 years ago) from a common Black African race. That is, the first humans to live on this earth were Black Africans, while the other races are, genetically, the descendants of the original Black Africans 3. It is also worth noting that racial differences are biologically superficial and not fundamental2. That is, the human family is one species; and therefore, racial differences are merely cosmetic. We know today from historical evidence that the perceived intellectual and cultural differences between the races are the consequence of the relatively recent economical, political, and social forces that were generated as a result of Western European trade in African slaves which was initiated for economic and political gain4. I do not have time to cover the complete story of either human evolution, or the Western European trade in African slaves, so you must seek to study these topics yourself and/or engage others in conversations later.

Black Africans and the First Great Civilization: Kemit

Next, an important point that our ancestors, like the late Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop of Senegal (as well as many other contemporary historians), have uncovered for us is the fact that the first great civilizations also began in Africa. That is, Black Africans founded the magnificent Nile valley civilizations. One of the better known Nile valley civilizations was Kemit (known today as Egypt) which started over 6000 years ago. The Kemitic civilization, as evidence by those colossal monuments that were built (and still stand today) such as the Pyramids, Sphinxes, and others, reached heights far in advanced of today’s so-called modern civilizations. The Kemitic civilization lasted well over 3000 years, among the longest in human history. Again, evidence shows that the original Egyptians were Black Africans 5 like the ancestors we mourn today. In addition, linguistic (as well as other evidence) have recently shown that the origins of the first great western civilizations, like the Greek and Roman civilizations, are rooted in the Kemitic civilization6.

While this may sound strange to some ears, because of “mis-education” [ref. – Mis-Education of the Negro] , we must remember that Kemit (Egypt) is geographically in Africa, and not in Asia or in the Middle East. Some may question the relevance of these remarks. Remember, however, that one of the results of the European trade in African slaves is the present day racism directed against the Black Africans and people of African decent throughout the world. This racism against Africans, in turn, fosters the belief held by many white people, yellow people, brown people, and even some Black people that the Black race is intellectually inferior, has no culture or history, and therefore can not take care of itself 6. It is, in fact, an evil lie. The Kemitic civilization, among many others, proves that this is not true 7. We must combat this wicked falsehood by telling our people and the whole world (as we alone must do) that Black Africans have a great history and that our ancient ancestors are, in fact, the ancestors of all the human beings on earth. In addition, we must proclaim that no race has any inherent intelligence that automatically makes them superior to any other race. The racism directed against Black people today can be viewed as just an economical, political, and social ploy or trick to keep us in check and subservient, so that the riches of our brainpower, the riches of our labor, and the natural riches of our continent, Mother Africa, will serve others, and remain out of our control.

The Fall of Kemit and the Subsequent Migrations

The Ancient Kemitic (Egyptian) civilization came to an end a little over 2000 years ago. It was overrun by other ethnic and racial groups from the regions in what is known today as the Middle East and the southeastern part of Western Europe. Many of the Black people of Kemit fled the region as a result of the invasions7,8. Thus began one of the many great inter-continental migrations of African people that, in a sense, has lasted right up to the time of the Western Europeans arrival on the West African coast at Elmina in the late 1400’s 9. It is worth noting that some oral traditions as well as some present day Ghanaian scholars claim the Akan, and other present day Ghanaian ethnic groups, are the direct descendants of some of those ancient Africans who migrated from areas in and around Egypt over 2000 years ago 8. In fact, the Kemitic (Egyptian) symbol for life, the “ankh”, bears a noticeable similarity in both meaning and physical appearance to the Akan fertility doll, the “akuaba”. There are many other connections 8 that we do not have time to go over here; and again, I ask you to seek further information through study and conversation.

Many of those who left Kemit (Egypt) lost much (but not all) of their knowledge of religion and philosophy, of the physical and social sciences, of the political arts and much

more. In fact, a number of great civilizations followed in Kemit’s footsteps all across Africa up to the time of the European trade in African slaves began 7. In additions, a few African civilizations managed to survive and expand during the Atlantic slave trading period 7. We can count a number of the great Akan kingdoms of present day Ghana like the Bono, Akwamu, Denkyira, Fante, Asante, Assin, and others in this category. Moreover, the political order of the divine kingship system epitomized by the Kemitic (Egyptian) Pharaohs, with their characteristic matrilineal succession and other rituals, is probably the ancient origin of Akan Nananom and similar traditions of today’s Ghana.

Traditional African Institutions Analogous to Slavery

We know that slavery has been a part of human society throughout most of human history. In many cases it changed its form and particulars, but men and women have subjugated their fellow men and women for many reasons from owing of debt, to penal punishment, to conquest in war, and finally to plain old economic greed. As we know, African societies had their own form of slavery. That is, the so-called vassal and/or tribute systems 9. These systems usually resulted from either conquest, or the owing of debt, or penal punishment. While the African systems were just as wrong as any other system of slavery, they were not as harsh or dehumanizing as the chattel nature of the Western European version of slavery that came later. These African systems, however, set us up (as it were) and made things easier for the Western Europeans to initiate and sustain the chattel form of slavery that was established for economic greed alone. To summarize, Africans had their own system of slavery, it was wrong (as all forms of slavery must be) but the slaves kept their culture, language, identity, and they were in general paying a debt and were not an economic commodity. In addition, in many cases social mobility for the slaves could be realized and at times the slaves were eventually set free. In fact, many of the slaves could become respected members of families in which they were enslaved, as well as the overall society in which the lived [ref.-Jackson & deGraft-Johnson].

The Oriental Slave Trade

The first foreigner initiated slave trade in Africa was the oriental slave trade10. It was initiated by the Arabs who came down from North Africa as conquerors around 700 A.D. The slaves were taken to North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia 10. This trade officially lasted until the late 1800’s. While the Arab slave trade lasted the longest, the number of slaves taken was not as great as the Western European version of slavery that started much later. The nature of Arab slave trade was such that the African slaves eventually were integrated into the Arab culture, once they were converted to Islam. Today, we do not find a strong Black African identity among the descendants of the African slaves in North Africa, the Middle East, or Asia. In addition, it was the Arab slave traders and the accompanying spread of Islam (among other developments), that probably forced the ancient Akan Kings of the thirteenth century to begin their migration from Wangara (an area around ancient Ghana in what is today called Mali), and to lead their people southeast towards the rain forests, and then on through the rain forests to the coast of what came to be known later as the Gold Coast. I understand that this fact is still in some of the oral traditions of the Akan today1.

V.) The Western European Trade in African Slaves and Problems in our African Past

The decline of Moorish [explain more !] domination of Southwestern Europe [ref.-Jackson & deGraft-Johnson], the subsequent renaissance of high culture in Europe, the invention of the gun (and other advances in the military weaponry of the day), the establishment of great Western European naval powers, and the tales of vast deposits of gold in Africa and other parts of the world; led many of the Western European states to begin to explore the world for conquest and economic gain.

Western European Conquest of the World

In fact, after the Moors retreated from Europe in the late 1400’s, the Western European states began a competitive process among themselves, which led eventually to Western European conquest of virtually the entire world. The Americas were located and claimed for Western Europe by the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and British. Western European contact was made with West Africa and the great trade at first in foodstuffs, ivory, and gold began. The success of Western European colonial enterprises led to population growth and expansion for Western Europe. North and South America were quickly colonized and settled. The indigenous people of the Americas’ resisted the invasions, but quickly fell to the invaders who practice ruthless policies, had superior weapons, and spread dreaded diseases [Guns, Steel, and Germs]. This led first to ‘permanent’ Western European colonial settlements in the Americas, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa, and then to the establishment of plantation economies in the colonies 10.

The Traditional African States Involvement in the European Trade in African Slaves: Entrapment

In Africa, Western European penetration and conquest proved relatively difficult (compared to the Americas and other parts of the world which were invaded almost simultaneously) because of the strong kingdoms that existed in many regions of Africa, the tropical terrain, and the tropical insects (like mosquitoes). But later, by the 1600’s there developed, economically, a strategic need for labor in the plantations of the Caribbean and Americas, and it became apparent that there was, militarily, a peculiar weaknesses in the interrelationships between African states. Within the continent (menstion that the density of ethnic groups is the highest in the world), the African nations were in a state of unstable equilibrium (that is, an equilibrium which could be made unstable by the slightest change in prevailing geopolitical and military conditions) This was due to the many years of previous inter-continental migrations and empire building [ref.-History of Ghana]. In addition, there was no sense of continental unity, or a Black African continental identity or nationalism at that time [ref.- The invention of Africa]. Nor was there any experience with the ‘new’ Western European invaders. Finally, it is worth mentioning that while many African states had an indigenous iron industry [ref.-SciAm]; they, like the rest of the world at that time, did not have an indigenous gun manufacturing industry. Not long after the arrival of the Portuguese in 1482 at Elmina on the Gold Coast, the Western European trade in Black African slaves began.

The Effects of the European Trade in African Slaves on the Population of Africa

The Western European trade in African slaves across the Atlantic lasted almost 400 years. It was the largest such trade in slaves (in terms of the number of slaves captured) the world had ever seen. It is documented that more than 20 million slaves left the shores of Africa to the Americas 11. But that is not the whole story. Dr. W. E. B. DuBois (who was a close aid to your first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and who was buried here in Ghana) has revealed that during the period from around 1500 to about the late 1800’s, Africa was depopulated to the tune of well over 100 million people (the combined result of both the Oriental and the European trade in African slaves along with the associated tribal wars) 11. A staggering figure indeed! (my own calculation suggest over 150 million people)

The Chattel Nature of the Western European Trade in African Slaves

The character of the European trade in African slaves was economical and chattel in nature4. By economical and chattel, I mean that the African slaves were considered and treated as farm animals; that is, as farm commodities. They were dehumanized, held in slavery for life, and all their descendants were subject to the same fate. This chattel slave system ultimately put a price on the head of every Black African man, woman and child throughout the African continent and the world. That is, the attempt was made to transform the Africans from a human being into a commodity, a chattel slave, a Negro, and finally a ‘nigger’. A terrible system indeed!

Violent Conversion of ‘Proud’ Africans into Chattel ‘Negro’ Slaves

The process of breaking, dehumanizing, transforming proud Africans into chattel ‘Negro’ slaves employed by the Western European masters was a multifold process. A few of the techniques employed to force submission were (1) mental torture, (2) physical torture, (3) family torture, (4) genetic torture, and (5) social torture.

The (1) mental torture included taking away the African slave’s native language, culture, and religion by banning almost all aspects of African cultural practices and by abolishing the teaching of reading, and especially anything to do with African history. In the United States of America (USA), the African cultural practices that have survived the enslavement period were practiced in secret or in religious services. In addition, to justify this wicked economic order, the European slave masters began to spread the lie that the African was intellectually inferior; because (they said) the African was closer to the ape family than to the human family. In the USA, the slave masters even banned the playing of the drum by the African slaves. This fact may be one of the reasons why African Americans developed a keen sense of rhythm that is displayed today in their songs, dances, and speech patterns (i.e., they infused the rhythm of the drum into almost every other form of human expression).

The (2) physical torture included bullwhip beatings to force day-to-day obedience from disobedient slaves. Also, physical torture included branding by hot irons for identification (since, like animals, all the slaves looked alike). Also, brutal murders such as lynching (castration and hanging) were committed to terrorize entire slave communities into submission and to discourage escapes and revolts.

The (3) family torture included regular policy of splitting up the African slave families. It was common for members of many slave families to all be sold to different plantations and slave masters. Also, marriage in the formal sense was forbidden. This was done to breakdown family dependencies and loyalties. Perhaps, the Western Europeans observed the strong family and clan structures in Africa and decided not to allow them to exist across the Atlantic. In addition, since the African slave was a commodity, some slave masters bred their slaves, like animals, to sell on the slave market as a way to generate extra profits. It could strongly be argued that foundations of the tremendous wealth we see in the West today rest on the back of the millions of African slaves. These African slaves` free labor provided the means to establish the initial capital reserve that was later use to finance the industrial revolution. Needless to say, the African slave was not paid at all.

The (4) genetic torture included a systematic and regular policy of raping our mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. The Western European slave masters policy of raping our women was done not only to satisfy their perverted sexual lust, but it was also a deliberate form of genetic torture which was designed to genetically divide the children of the raped African women against their own mothers, uncles, aunts, bothers, and sisters. All forms of torture leave wounds, and the genetic form leaves wounds that could take several generations to heal.

Finally, the genetic form of torture laid the foundations for the (5) social torture that followed. In many cases, like South Africa and Haiti, the offspring resulting from the rapes were forced into a different slave social caste (i.e., the so-called ‘colored caste’). While they were still slaves, they were elevated slightly above the children of darker skinned Africans whose mothers were not raped by the slave masters. In addition, the genetically abused slaves were forced, in many cases, to become the ‘headmen’ for the white slave master community. In some cases, they were required to oversee and to police their own mothers, uncles, aunts, brother, and sisters in the lower Black African caste. This caste structure was effective in creating disunity among the slaves. Moreover, the effects of the social form of torture still exist and is still a source of disunity in many parts of the African world today.

African Resistance to Slavery

The intent of these various forms of human torture was to systematically produce an estranged, uncultured, dehumanized, ignorant, scattered, and divided ‘Negro’ chattel slave who was brainwashed into hating himself (i.e., hating his skin color, his hair, his physical appearance, and his African culture). It is worth noting that while the terrible chattel slave system was successful to a great degree, it did not succeed totally. Over the years of bondage, enough of our people, who were victims of one or all of the forms of torture, resisted the negative effects of the torture. In a surprisingly high number of cases, they were able to successfully fight for their dignity and freedom 4. One example of this resistance in earlier times was the successful revolt of the African slaves in Haiti during the early 1800’s to gain their freedom from the French under the powerful Napoleon. A more current example of this resistance was the revolts of the indigenous Africans and former slaves in South Africa who in 1994 finally ended the caste system of apartheid and gained a measure of political control over their homeland, South Africa. It is, indeed, a remarkable blessing that all the years of suffering did not kill our spirit; but it has, nevertheless, left us severely (but not mortally) wounded. It is worth noting that the cause of much of the social decay in the ghettos of many of the cities in the USA can be trace back to one or more of these abusive forms of torture [ref -] .

Only two good things that came from this experience was that (1) it ended and (2) we survived! This is no small achievement. Many of the indigenous people from lands which came under a similar type of European colonial domination like those who initially inhabited countries and continents we now call Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, as well as many of the Island nations of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans either perished completely or are left today in a state of complete disintegration with little hope for a brighter future as a people. However, the future of Africa is much brighter [ref. – Andrew Young].

VI.) Realities of our African Present

Now that we had a brief review of our history and know where we have been, let us assess where we are now. That is, our present situation as a people before we point out where we should go in the future.

Effects of Slavery and Colonialism

The direct result of our past history of being victims of slavery and colonialism, is (1) the dismembered state of Africa and (2) the scattered state of African people 11,12. The population concentrations of African people are, of course, the highest in the Motherland. However, there are significant populations of Africans in North America, South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe and in other parts of the world as well. Hence, today we can legitimately speak of a worldwide African community; that is, the African World. While the slave trade scattered Africans throughout the world, colonialism dismembered our traditional geopolitical landscape in the Motherland 12. That is, the African landscape was divided up amongst the Western European powers in the late 1800’s 11. So far as the indigenous African states and ethnic groups were concerned, this dismemberment occurred in an arbitrary fashion. (this created distrust of traditional systems of rule and control) Many times boundaries that were drawn between different Western European colonies went right through the boundaries of the indigenous African states 11. We have inherited this fragmented and dismembered geo-political landscape which is inherently unstable and inefficient. It also may prove to be unworkable. Most of the nations of Africa since their independence have experienced a number of corrupt governments and many coupe de tas. In many cases, African governmental leaders have not served the educational, health, and economical needs of their people; but at times they seem to have served the needs of the former colonial and present neo-colonial interests and their own greed. More recently, there have emerged a few exceptions to this rule. Ghana, in recent years, has become one of the nations that has begun to overcome many of the negative legacies of the slave trading, colonial, and neo-colonial periods.

The African Population Growth Yesterday and Today

Another important development, which will become a great challenge in the future, is the explosive rise in the population of Africa. Over recent years the African continent has sustained a growth rate of over 3+%. This implies a population-doubling rate of around 23 years. That is, the population of most African countries will more than double by the year 2020. Africa’s total population will grow from around 700 million in 1997 to over 1.3 billion by 2020 13.

There are two important facts to consider while we ponder the consequences of this tremendous population growth. First, to provide a historical perspective, Africa is the only major (or continental) region of the world to experience a sustained negative population growth that lasted well over 200 years. That is, the depopulation of Africa that was mentioned earlier. Again, the African continent lost well over 150 million people during the slave-trading period11! Other than Africa, no other region of the world has ever experienced such a sustained negative population growth rate 14. The second fact to consider is that today the African population is growing at the highest rate in the world at 3+%. Moreover, if one excludes voluntary or involuntary migration into a region, then the present population growth in Africa is the highest ever in human history. These two extreme facts may prove to be related. Perhaps our scientists should study this phenomenon thoroughly. It could be the case that the sustained depopulation of Africa in the past helped to create conditions for the tremendous population growth rate we witness in Africa today.

Before we hastily draw conclusions concerning Africa’s population growth, let us first review some current facts concerning the population densities in regions of Africa and other parts of the world. Incidentally, the population density (that is, the number of people residing in a particular area, divided by the area in square kilometers) is the proper quantity to consider and not the total population in a given area. The population density of Africa is relatively low at 26 persons per square kilometer (p.p.sq.km.). If the desert regions of Africa are excluded, then the population density of the African continent is 38 p.p.sq.km. By comparison the population density of the USA is 28 p.p.sq.km., that of Ghana is 74 p.p.sq.km., that of China (the world’s most populace country) is 138 p.p.sq.km., that of Nigeria (the most populated African country) is 145 p.p.sq.km., that of Great Britain (Ghana’s former colonial ruler) is 235 p.p.sq.km., that of Belgium (the most densely populated Western European country) is 328 p.p.sq.km., and that of the world as a whole is 42 p.p.sq.km. 13. These facts do suggest that the rapid population growth is a challenge for the current and future leaders of African countries, but these facts do not suggest that Africa is overpopulated today nor will it be overpopulated (relatively speaking) in the near future (next 23 years).

If Africa is overpopulated, then much of the rest of the world is ultra-overpopulated! The current uproar over the population explosion in Ghana and Africa should be viewed with some suspicion. The main problem is not the absolute size of the population, but the ability of governments and institutions to respond effectively to the great social pressures that result from the extremely high population growth rate. This high population growth rate is a problem and a challenge. It should be studied and controlled, but the absolute size of the population in Ghana, and other parts of Africa, is not a problem in principle.

It is interesting to note that ancient Kemit had a population density of 268 p.p.sq.km., about 3.6 times more than Ghana’s present population density. It is also interesting to note that ancient Kemit was located in a desert region (like Egypt is today). Yet over 4000 years ago Kemit was able to manage the yearly flooding of the Nile, successfully irrigate its farm land, feed its people, and build one of the most advanced civilizations the world has ever seen that lasted for nearly 3000 years 15. Surely, the present and near future (next 23 years) population density in Africa can be managed, that is, if our leaders control and efficiently utilize Africa’s human and natural resources wisely. Thus, managing Africa’s human and natural resources wisely is the real challenge of Africa’s population growth, and not just family planning.

Impact of the Cold War End on Africa

The recent end of the cold war has also impacted Africa. The old strategy of non-alignment (in the political arena) is of little use now that there is effectively only one political superpower. This development has created more political instabilities in Africa. Over the last few years, since the ending of the cold war, there have been an increasing number of coups, conflicts, and wars in Africa resulting from the shifting of the political tides. Today’s governmental restructuring policies in African countries (that is, the privatization and democratization policies) are a direct result of the end of the cold war and the subsequent shifting of the political tides. While some of these developments may be welcomed; their occurrence, at this time, indicates that Africa is, evidently, still not in control of her own destiny.

Emergence of Multiple Economic Superpowers

An equally important current international development is the emergence of multiple economic superpowers in the world. The USA is no longer the only economic superpower. In fact, most of the countries of the developed and developing world have formed international trading blocks or alliances, so that today there are effectively three superpower economic regions of the world. That is, the North American block centered in the USA, the Western European Union block centered in Western Europe, and the Asian block centered in Japan. It is worth noting that African countries, which today make-up the majority of the underdeveloped world, are currently not officially included in any of these great international economic trading blocks. One encouraging economic development, however, is the emergence of the ‘information age’ or ‘high-tech age’, which has eliminated the old “industrialization” route to national economic development. This high-tech age could prove to be very positive for the development efforts of Ghana and Africa.

End of all Vestiges of Direct Colonial Rule in Africa

The final point is very encouraging to discuss. That is, after more than 400 years of slave trading and nearly 100 years of colonial domination, sub-Saharan Africa is finally free of direct foreign rule. With the ending of the apartheid in South Africa, and subsequent free elections, the last of the colonial settler regimes has ended. This event came much quicker than most predicted. In many ways it was also a result of the end of the cold war. However, we take it no matter how it has come. It is important to note that an indirect or neo-colonial form of dominating Africa and her people in Africa and throughout the world still continues today. So, in summary, the present realities herald a number of challenges and opportunities. To summarize, we expect some hard times for sure; but in the longer run (if we work hard at it), we expect good things to come for Ghana, for Africa, and for Africans worldwide.

VII.) The Significance of the Assin Manso Slave Market and the Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony for our Slave Ancestors

Before going on, we need to address some issues that could be raised or should be raised by the symbolism imbedded in Assin Manso’s “Nnonkosuo” (the slave river – the river where slaves received their last bath before sale to the slave merchants and shipped to the coast) and by the symbolism imbedded in the slave burial grounds here in Assin Manso’s “Nnonkosie” (slave grave yard – where slaves who died enroute (?) to the coast were buried). I will pose these issues as questions, then discuss them in turn. The questions are: (1) Should there be blame for the Assin Manso Slave Market? (2) Who should be blamed? (3) Can we the Africans in the Diaspora (the great-great-great grandchildren of some of the slaves taken by force from perhaps Assin Manso), and the Africans living here on the continent today (like the people here of the Assin Apimanim traditional area), overcome this terrible legacy of slavery, colonialism, and division; and can we bring our dismembered and scattered family back together? and (4) What is the significance of the Assin Manso Slave Market Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony?

Should there be Blame for the Assin Manso Slave Market?

Yes! There must be blame for the Assin Manso Slave Market and all other slave markets throughout Africa and the World. We can not afford to forget the millions of Africa’s people who died, the millions of Africa’s people who suffered, and the millions of Africa’s people whose lives were forcibly and permanently altered because of the slave trade. More importantly, we can not forgive, because Africans (both in Africa and in the Diaspora) continue to suffer today from many of the same afflictions perpetuated by many of the same adversaries. We should only forgive when all the offensives related to our slavery and colonial experience have stopped for some time.

Who should be Blamed?

The blame should not be directed specifically at Assin Manso Slave Market, but the blame should be directed at the entire system of Western European trade in African slaves. Specifically, the blame should be directed at those Western European, Caribbean, and American powers, interests, and people who initiated and sustained the Atlantic slave trading system; and who continue today to exert indirect ‘neo-colonial’ form of control over Africans today, both in Africa and throughout the world. So, when I say blame, I am not talking about my and your ancestors, but I am talking about the worldwide system that was much bigger than my and your ancestors ever were. We acknowledge that some of my and your ancestors aided and profited from the slave trade. However, the control of the Atlantic slave trading system was never in the hands of the Africans who participated in it. It was driven not by Africa’s development interests, but by Western Europe’s colonial expansion and development interests. That is, many African states became entrapped in the Atlantic slave trading system once it became the dominant economic order of the day. Once the new European weapons like the gun was introduced, they destabilized the frail military and political ‘unstable equilibrium’ that existed between the African states. The ‘new’ weapons became a strategic resource for the African states. The control and supply of these ‘advanced’ weapons was closely guarded by the Western European states and was never allowed to be placed in the hands of any of the African states. In many cases the survival of a particular state depended on the acquisition of European guns and ammunitions. Therefore, the trade with the Europeans for guns and ammunitions became a strategic trade. Moreover, European trade in African slaves for the plantations across the Atlantic was also a strategic trade as mentioned earlier. But the Europeans held the competitive advantage, because they controlled the sea, the market, and the guns. Hence, a few African states traded in slaves for greed, more traded in slaves for guns to use for military survival and security, while others traded in slaves because they were coerced to do so by Western European military force16. [Cite other people’s experience with the western European: Native American]

An Example of the Entrapment of the African King

An example of this entrapment of the African states or Kings is illustrated by the following quote from a letter sent by a Congolese King Dom Affonso (who was an early convert to Christianity) in 1526 to the Portuguese King at the time. The quote was cited in Kwame Nkrumah’s book, The Challenge of the Congo16. The letter contains a plea to stop the slave trade in his kingdom. The Congolese King was prepared to sacrifice all Portuguese trade if he could suppress the trade in slaves that was destroying his kingdom.

“… we cannot reckon how great the damage is, since the above mentioned merchants daily seize our subjects, sons of the land and sons of our noblemen and vassals and our relatives… Thieves and men of evil conscience take them because they wish to possess the things and wares of this Kingdom… They grab them and cause them to be sold: and so great, Sir, is their corruption and licentiousness that our country is being utterly depopulated. And to avoid (them), we need from (your) Kingdom no other than priests and people to teach in schools, and no other goods but wine and flour for the holy sacrament: that is why we beg of Your Highness to help and assist us in this matter, commanding your factors that they should send here neither merchants nor wares, because it is our will that in these Kingdoms (of Congo) there should not be any trade in slaves nor market for slaves.”

Nkrumah goes on to comment that, nevertheless, King Affonso’s… ‘power was undermined’. By… ‘The traders of the [Portuguese King]…who went over his head to his nominal vassals from whom they procured the slaves, even forming civil wars in which Portuguese subjects served on both sides. Thus whichever way the war went, an ample supply of captives was assured for sale to Sao Tome and Brazil’16.

The Sustenance of the European Trade in African Slaves

Once the Atlantic slave trading system started, it was very hard to stop. This is so because it was a profitable economic order, like the one that still exists here today called by some “neo-colonialism”. In fact, the very Western European interests that initiated and sustained the European trade in African slaves, later stopped it (once its economic value became unprofitable). So, it serves no useful purpose to blame those few ancestors who willingly participated in the Western European trade in African slaves. Most of the ancestors who participated in the European trade in African slaves were more than likely entrapped (like the example given above) and simply and tragically acted out a script that was forced on them by the Western European invaders who controlled the situation. Since we know from our own experience that the descendants did not benefit from their ancestors slave trading profits, nor have the descendants continued the betrayal practiced by those ancestors who participated in the European trade in African slaves, we can not blame any of us Africans alive today, who may be the descendants of the ancestors who were slave traders.

The Primary Blame for the European Trade in African Slaves

So, primarily, the blame for the European trade in African slaves and the associated atrocities must be placed directly and collectively on the countries of Western Europe and their colonies and allies in the Caribbean, South and North America. Moreover, they continue to commit neo-colonial atrocities on Africa and continue to oppress African people in the Diaspora today. The devastation and suffering that African people have endured for over 500 years is too overwhelming to forgive or to forget.

The Secondary Blame for the European Trade in African Slaves

Secondarily, however, we must understand and blame the weaknesses that evidently existed in the indigenous African states (and the indigenous so-called ‘Indian’ or Native American and Native Caribbean states) for not having the ability to collectively respond to the Western European invasions. This blame (on the victims) must be levied even though we know that these indigenous states (both African and Native American) were naive and innocent, from the point of view that they did not have any prior knowledge or experience that such a holocaust could possibly take place. However, in order to provide us, today, with the proper motivation to correct the problem and to prevent its reoccurrence or continuation (in any form) in the future, we must levy the secondary blame at our own weaknesses as a people. That is, Africans lacked a continental identity, nationalism, and unity that could have formed the basis for a more effective coordinated and continental wide resistance to the Western European assault.

Can We Bring Our Dismembered and Scattered African Family Back Together?

Yes! We can overcome this terrible legacy and bring our Dismembered and Scattered African family back together. To do this we must know our history, no matter how painful it is, and identify the root causes of how we got caught up in the slave trade and the subsequent colonial domination, which caused the Dismemberment and Scattering. We must somehow create a real unity with respect to any present or future aggressive threats to any of Africa’s numerous ethnic groups and/or lands both on the continent and worldwide. This unity must include more than a political and military component; it must include a strong economic and spiritual component in order to be meaningful and long lasting. All these things are easy to say, but very hard to do. However, we must accept the challenge. The alternative is indefinite submission to the powers that be, and indefinite acceptance of being the world’s permanent underclass – or better, ‘the wretched of the earth’ [ref. – France Fanon].

What is the Significance of the Assin Manso Slave Market Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony?

All great movements have a start. They must begin somewhere. Assin Manso Slave Market Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony is a fitting place to start our journey towards restoring the dignity of Africans worldwide. The Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony is among the first steps in creating a new African ritual which could serve as the example for other regions here and in other parts of the world to begin healing the wounds that our dismembered and scattered people13 have suffered, and to begin the-putting-back-together of the African family. We therefore thank and greatly appreciate Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, Omanhene of Assin Apimanim Traditional area, the Nananom, the Elders, and the people of Assin Apimanim Traditional area, for their courage in initiating the Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony for the Ancestors of those slaves who were taken through and died here at Assin Manso(clarify). We also encourage all other Africans in Ghana, in Africa, and in the Diaspora to support efforts like the Remembrance and Reverential Ceremony, and to initiate similar rituals throughout the African World.

VIII.) The Challenges of our African Future

Let me conclude my discussion by sighting just a few challenges for the African world as we approach the next millennium. We must stop the continued dependence of African people (worldwide) on the West (or the east for that matter) for our livelihood, our institutions, our values, and our goals. We must reach back and revive the good aspects of our own traditions in religion, philosophy, medicine, science, and in governmental and military science. We must embrace the ‘high-tech age’ as the main vehicle to national development. Then, we must reconstruct our institutions, our values, and our goals in a way that are consistent with our heritage and traditions, rather than contradictory. We must come together as people who have a worldwide community and begin to depend on ourselves. We must take advantage of our worldwide community and form economic alliances, first with ourselves, then with all other nations that want mutual and fair relationships. We must re-institute the non-aligned strategy in the economic arena.

Finally, it is important to note that our worldwide African community has an African identity, a common historical base, a common need to develop, and a common aspiration to regain control over our dignity, prosperity, and destiny. We, therefore, have an important opportunity. This, I submit, must be the basis for our hope, this must be the basis for our unity, this must be the basis for our future, and this must be among the blessings that come forth from our ancestors that we mourn today. If we succeed in coming together, we can meet the challenges of dismemberment, of fragmentation, of scattering, of instability, of population growth, of healthcare, and of education. By coming back together, we can seize the opportunities of Africa’s political independence, of a possible African World economic alliance, of the new high-tech economic age, and of harnessing all of Africa’s great human and natural wealth for a better tomorrow for the entire African World.

IX.) Conclusion

I conclude, then, with a poem by the late Patrice Emery Lumumba called “Dawn in the Heart of Africa” 17. While the poem is nominally about the Congo it can be readily applied to the whole African World – just substitute “African World” for “Congo”. Please note that Lumumba, like others of the first generation of leaders that liberated Africa, was a budding “philosopher-poet-king” like our ancient traditional rulers. But also note that the neo-colonial interests cut him down like so many other great African leaders before he could bare any political, economic, or social fruit for his people. His poem follows:

Last night my family, friends, and I attended the Ghanaian Funeral that the Council of Ghanaian Traditional Rulers in Georgia put on for my father. Let me say for clarity sake that my father’s burial and funeral service took place a month ago. But since he was a traditional ruler in Ghana, the nana’s adviced us that he had to be also given a traditional Ghanaian funeral or remembrance service because without this he couldn’t be recognized as an ancestor.

It was a beautiful event and one that I am sure my father would have been very happy about. Ghanaian traditional rulers, clergy, family, and friends were all there and made the event very heart warming.It is very hard to summarize a funeral, but when its your own father’s its even harder. But I believe that my Dad would like for people to know both how he lived and how he departed. He would be happy the celebration that followed, as it was one of the most lively and original that I’ve ever witnessed.

Representives from the Ewe Association of Georgia performing their tribute to my father. This dance step that they were doing was a sight to see. The Ewe’s have flavor!

So I will try as best as I can to summarize this event by saying that it started with music from a really good DJ from Ghana. Visitors who arrived early -which is to say around 10 PM were immediately greeted with by such gospel greats as Mighty Clouds of Joy and Shirley Ceasar, these were followed up by more contemporary gospel icons like Kirk Franklin. As a steady stream of visitors began flowing in the MC began by welcoming them. He asked them to make themselves comfortable and to please be patient, as it appeared that some of the nana’s had not yet arrived. Again the music played, this time the warm and inviting sounds of the Ghana High Life genre of music poured itself out of the speakers. This music always brings back good memories for me.

While the music played the family and close friends of Nana Amoa I, gradually began to get comfortable amongst themselves and their hosts. As they arrived they noticed a pattern which would later that night become very familiar to them-entrants entering the door and shaking hands from left to right. They also noticed that true to the instructions that they were given everyone else at the function also wore red and black, which to the Akans are the official colors of mourning.

Then there were the traditional rulers themselves. Although, nearly everyone else in attendance also wore red and black or some variation it was still very easy to recognize them. For they wore very elaborate cloths, draped around them in a rather ornate and regal fashion. They also in the beginning of the funeral wore a serious and almost military-like expression on their faces.

Before long the MC asked the traditional rulers for permission to begin. They gave the official “go ahead” to begin and he welcomed everyone in attendance to the event. Something that I want to note is that the MC made a special effort to make the African Americans in attendance feel welcome and this theme would continue throughout the night. Afterward the MC’s welcome the pastor, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Lartey, opened the next phase of the event with a prayer. More music again followed.

After the break the MC passed the baton over to the nana’s. Before he did so he indicated that the only thing befitting a man of my father’s stature was strict adherence to their Asante customs. This included speaking in the mother tongue and the pouring of libations, which they promptly carried out. Next they did a role call, it was sort of like the one’s that your teacher did for you when you’re in school. Nana Kumi did the role call, each person whose name they called answered “present”. But then they got to my father’s name “Nana Kwadwo Amoa I” as custom demanded, they had to call his name. After receiving no response they carried out the next piece of ritual by asking if anyone has seen Nana Amoa. As we all knew, the answer was no. And with that they moved on to the next step, which was to declare that he had gone on to the land of the ancestors, in the next life. Therefore his sandals could be placed upon the ground (this symbolizes in the Akan culture that one is no longer a nana) and from that day forward his name could be removed from the roster of nana’s in the Council and that he would instead be always referred to as an ancestor. This was very deep and at this point the realization of my father’s transition once again became very apparent to me.

The next phase of the funeral was the announcement of the Council’s scholarship in my father’s name. They announced that the fund would go to a deserving Ghanaian physics graduate student. There was a very attention grabbing dance tribute performed by the Ewe association in honor of my late father. Anyone who attended may correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that they made a $1000.00 donation to the scholarship fund. Afterwards the Council of Ghanaian Traditional Rulers in Georgia donated $1500.00 to the fund.

Somewhere within this time frame a second MC, Mr Kofi Mintah, took over and he really hammered home the point that my dad’s story represents what can happen when Ghanaians and African-Americans share collaboration-whether it be in science or business. He implored the audience to work to further that collaboration.

Afterwards, the family spokesperson said something on the behalf of the family, that spokesperson turned out to be me. I said some words on the behalf of Yaw and then I recounted the time that my father and I shared in Ghana, along with the life lessons that he taught me during our stay in Ghana.

One of my last impressions of the function was to come from Nana Mensah. He gave a very touching story about my father. This story was about how my father encouraged him to follow his heart and write about about Ghanaian day names and how they relate to creation.

“When Dr. Brown and I were at the Ghana Expo, he overheard me explaining to an African-American about the Ghanaian day names. Later on he urged me to write a book on it. A few months later he asked me how the book was coming along. I told him it wasn’t finished yet. A few months later I received a call from Morehouse College asking me when I’d be available to come and speak with Dr. Brown’s students about my book. I told them it wasn’t even finished yet. But the person on the other end of the phone told me that Dr. Brown said it was ok and that I should still come. So I did go to Morehouse and to my surprise there was a hall full of students eagerly awaiting my arrival. Mo0rehouse paid me $200.00 for my time and I would like to take that 200.00 and donate it to the fund. I will soon be finished writing the book and when it is done I’d like to donate the profits from the first 1000 copies sold to Nana’s scholarship fund.”

To me Nana Mensah’s personal story represented that seed, which is to say my father’s legacy, being carried forward or planted. He also challenged me, personally, to do something to keep Dr. Brown’s legacy alive too. This is something which I will share with you later and in more detail. But for now let me just say that we, the family of the late Nana Kwadwo Amoa, are all very appreciative to the Council of Ghanaian Traditional Rulers in Georgia, The Asanteman Association of Georgia, the Ewe Association, and each and everyone of the other Ghanaian Associations that was involved in this farewell for what you have done.

November 1, 2007

Announcing the Dr. Charles S. Brown Memorial Fund. I am hoping that this scholarship will awarddeserving African physics students. Below the EBASI site describes the commencement of the memorial fund that will actually fund the scholarship.

To the family, friends, and colleagues of Charles, EBASI extends its most sincere and heart-felt condolences. As the Chairman of EBASI since 1995 and as a Founding Council Member since its inception in 1988, Charles provided leadership at the highest level and was not only well-regarded for his tireless, indefatigable devotion to carrying out the mission and objectives of EBASI but was also highly respected for his “love for all things African.” Professor Charles S. Brown is already missed and will continue to be greatly missed by those who knew him.

Dr. Charles S. Brown (also known through enstoolment by the Assin Manso District of Ghana and elders and other traditional rulers in that district by his Chieftain name– Nana Kwodo Amoa I.) in a Ghanaian Village.

Vita (Abbreviated) of Dr. Charles Stevenson Brown

Charles S. Brown graduated in 1973 (Bachelor of Science degree) from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia with a major in Physics and a minor in Mathematics and Philosophy (Advisor was Dr. Carl Spight). In 1975, He received his Master of Science degree (Nuclear Physics and Computer Programming) from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (Advisor was Dr. Peter Fong). In 1981, Charles earned his Doctorate in Physics (Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Applied Mathematics) under the direction of Dr. Uzi Landman from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. Charles was also a postdoctoral Fellow at Emory from 1981-1982 with Dr. Landman as Advisor.

During the period 1982-2001, Charles S. Brown was a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies, Norcross, Georgia. In this period, Charles served as AT&T Bell Laboratories Visiting Scholar at the Department of Physics of Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia and was also honored as a Fulbright Scholar at the Department of Physics, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. 1982-2001 was a seminal time for Charles:

In 1988, he was appointed as a Founding Council Member of EBASI by the Late Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam, Founding Director of the (as it is presently named) Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP);

He participated at the First Edward Bouchet International Conference on Physics and Technology, (EBASI) held in June of 1988 at ICTP headquarters in Trieste, Italy;

In 1996, He was awarded an ICTP Visiting Scholarship to the University of Cape Coast where he became deeply interested in the University’s growth and development;

While in Ghana, he began collaborative projects with African scientists and mathematicians at such a level that his interest in Africa and its technological and scientific development were infused in him on a permanent and all-pervasive level.

From 2001-2002, Charles held the position of Chief Scientist of Luxcore Networks, then located in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the period 2002-July 2004, Charles was Adjunct Professor of the Department of Physics of Morehouse College.

From August of 2004 until just before his death, Charles was Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Physics of Morehouse College.

Professor Charles Brown presenting the Edward Alexander Bouchet Award to the President of Botswana, Mr. Festus Mogae in 1998.Click image for a larger view.

Dr. Charles S. Brown (seated–third from the right)
at the First EBASI ICTP ConferenceClick image for a larger view.
Many friends and colleagues of Charles have expressed their condolences upon learning of his death. EBASI is working in cooperation with the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP–See below for instructions on how to donate through the NSBP), ICTP, and Private Donors to ensure that donations are sufficient such that there will be scholarship(s) in Charles’ name established for award(s) not only in the very near future but in perpetuity.

NSBP Donations to the Charles S. Brown Memorial Fund.

For online donations go to http://www.nsbp.org/en/donations/add.asp . In the comments section please put in Charles S. Brown Memorial Fund. Checks can be made payable to the ‘National Society of Black Physicists’ and mailed to 6704 Lee Highway Arlington, VA 22205. In the check memo line please put Charles S. Brown Memorial Fund.

People always ask me what inspired me to get so involved in Africa or how did I wind up wanting to promote the African continent as a business destination.

This is a question that I get fairly often. Most of the time people from the States and sometimes every now/then from people that I meet and know from Africa. It seems like the questions, behind the questions could be “why should it matter that there are business opportunities and successful entrepreneurs in Africa?” And “what do you know about Africa, anyway?” But, you know…my background’s not really in psychology or anything-thats just my take on these questions.

Anyway though, this post is my round-about attempt at answering both questions. So come on and let’s see if we can really just rap a tad and get to the bottom of it all. Be forewarned though, it’s a bit longish…

Now the year was September 1995, I was like a 3rd year sophomore at Morehouse College (I had just changed my major from engineering to economics). More importantly, my path seemed paved for the road of the entrepreneur. You see at 20 years old my partner and I had already started our own real estate biz. We weren’t making any real money yet, but everyday our Rolodex expanded. It really felt like the tipping point was right in front of us…And that’s when it happened-my father found out that he had been chosen as a Fulbright Scholar to teach physics at some university in Ghana, it was the University of Cape Coast, for like 17 months. He told me about it & and at the time, I had not bought into the idea yet. To my Dad’s credit, for the next one to two months he worked on me with subtle, yet persistent suggestions. Then he finally was like if you don’t go you might end up regretting it for a long time (Now my dad had a funny way of predicting things and almost all of his predictions came true). On top of this he dropped the bombshell on me, he said, “Ben if you don’t go, then I’m not going”. Now, I knew how much this trip meant to him, so that helped to change my mind.

Later on in life, I realized that’s that forever altered the course of my life; it’s the day that my father and I signed an unwritten or unspoken father and son agreement. Shortly after my decision was made I spoke to all of my professors and my student advisors to make sure that my student status would still be intact upon my return, which would be in a year. They assured me that not only would it be intact, but that since my father was going under the Fulbright Program, in essence I would be doing the same thing, plus on top of that since the University of Cape Coast had such a strong reputation, any classes that I took would count for the normal credit hours… This was October 95′-I think..

Oh, fast forward to November 95’…Since my dad and I were supposed to leave for Ghana towards the end of November my professors all agreed to let me take my finals a bit earlier. My recollection is that by the end of November everything was ready-my finals were complete, my father and I had taken our shots, physicals, passports, visas, then the going away party, and all that other good stuff.

So now, all we had to do was to prepare our belongings for the long journey, that lay ahead. This took about another week, which worked out fine, because our departing flight was probably like that first week in December. Funny thing about it is even though it seemed like we had so much time and were so prepared on the day of the flight we were still running around in a nervous frenzy. Someone, who was helping us do like some final packing on the day of departure had noticed that there were a lot of opened packages in our luggages-you know like toothpaste, lip balm, hair pomade ( that was back when I had a full head of it). Our friend who just so happened to be a big international traveler, was like where do you think you’re going with these opened packages….we were like, to the flight! But what happened is that we had overlooked the fact that U.S. customs & didn’t allow those opened packages on international flights ( something to do with international security). Inside the back of my mind was, “all these times Dad went to Africa (my father loves Africa and always has), how can we not know that you can’t carry opened packages?” By the time we took care of it we were late for the flight. Matter of fact when we got to the gate the plane had already started pulling away from the terminal. We ran as fast as we could and the airline agent who was about to leave his podium somehow managed to stop the flight from leaving without us.

The flight itself was almost unbearable, from the time we left Atlanta until the time we arrived in Ghana was like 24 hours-granted we had a 6 hr layover in Amsterdam-which we maximized to the fullest. So by the time we arrived in Ghana we were so tired and dehydrated we didn’t know how we’d even make it off the plane. But we did make it off

What started out for me as just a one year study abroad tour in Africa, quickly progressed into one of the greatest bonding experiences that a father and son could have -Dad you were right again. And that was just the beginning.

October 2, 2007

This picture was taken when my Dad and I were in Ghana. We had the opportunity of a lifetime when a friend of ours, Awauni (seated next to my dad) offered to take us to his village “up north”.

The trip there, by car, was a real adventure. But the bonding that he, Nita (my second mom), and myself were able to do was incredible.

When you see my Dad seated there on top of the “main house” of this village compound, notice how happy he looked. This is how my dad was. He was as comfortable in an African village- as he was shaking hands with three African Head’s of State (Ghana’s Rawlings, Botswana’s Festus Mogae, Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali). He was also at home in the academic and corporate worlds. And when I was a student at Morehouse College, we’d sometimes go for walks around the campus (which at the time had a low income inner city feel to it) and the way that my Dad would talk to the residents of the area, it was like he was one of the residents.

I think my brother, Dr. Daryl Brown summed it up nicely

“in Dad’s hometown of Boston, Mass he was known as Charlie, to the brothers around the way he was known as “Doc”, in academia he was known as Dr. Brown, in Ghana he was known as the Prof or as Nana, and to us he is affectionately known as “Dad”.

Dr. Charles S. Brown grew up at a pivotal time for Black America. As a young student at Morehouse College he was able to witness and be a part of America’s civil rights movement. After reading books written by Dr. W.E.B. Dubois and Kwame Nkrumah Dr. Brown began to become exposed to a wider perspective. Afterwards, he gradually gained an appreciation for African history. Over time this appreciation would continue to grow and less than ten years after obtaining his PhD in physics he began to research ancient African civilizations. His study was so intense that over a three year time span, he became an authority on the subject.

For Dr. Brown, learning about ancient African civilizations meant more than just being able to quote a few abstract facts, he believed that if he could help African American youth become aware of their true heritage it would be easier for them to dream big. Integrating scientific finds on these ancient civilizations into mathematics or physics curricula for his university classes would later become one of Dr. Brown’s most recognizable hallmarks.

But the event that would later shape his outlook on modern Africa continent took place when he attended the First Edward Bouchet International Conference on Physics and Technology on June 11, 1988 in Trieste, Italy. The Edward Bouchet Institute is today called the Edward Bouchet Abdus Salaam Institute. One of its aims is to foster scientific and technical collaborations between African and American scientists and engineers. Prof Charles S .Brown’s first trip to the African continent occurred in 1990 when he attended the second Edward Bouchet Institute Conference in Ghana. It is through the Edward Bouchet Institute that Professor Brown met the internationally renowned Professor Francis K. Allotey. In the fall of 1991, Prof. F. K. A. Allotey of Ghana visited with Prof. Charles S. Brown, who at that time was the Chairman of the Physics Department at Clark Atlanta University (CAU). The collaboration between Prof. Allotey, Prof. A. E. Bak, and Prof. C. S. Brown resulted in two published papers.

Prof. Allotey, four years later arranged the visit of Prof. Charles S. Brown to Cape Coast, Ghana, where he worked as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar (December 1995 – May 1996) and an ICTP Visiting Scholar (June 1996 – December 1996). Prof. Brown helped to develop the University’s graduate curriculum, served as a research advisor for a physics doctoral candidate, and collaborated on a research paper with Prof. S. Y. Mensah, Chairman of the Physics Department and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University. The work that Prof. Brown did in Ghana did not go unnoticed; in fact it was instrumental in his enstoolment as a traditional ruler in the Assin Manso district of Ghana.

To elders and other traditional rulers in this district Prof. Brown was known as Nana Kwodo Amoah I. It is a role that he took very seriously, even until his passing.